First baby lamb of the season

Posted on March 11th, 2017

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I remember wakening in the early hours of the morning to the sound of rain pattering down on the roof window. Snuggling down under the duvet, I was quite unaware that out in the field a baby lamb was being born. Timing was not great, in the open, the wind and the rain, on the bleakest of March mornings.

Hello Baby Lamb

It would be a few hours later before I would discover the little lamb in the distance whilst on my morning farm checks. Racing round to check the other animals had survived the wild night I ran back for my camera and a closer look. At a distance I couldn’t see the mother close by. Returning the lamb was still stood in the same place, looking lost and lonely in the field. I approached with caution, hoping this might reveal a protective mother and I was indeed met by a ewe at the hay feeder who began to walk towards her new born lamb. I retreated and crouched down with my long lens camera. All looked well as Mum nuzzled her lamb.

Out on the feed run it was a very muddy trek for our little visitors to get a better look. The rain was still present and the wind whipping around us. Separating Mum and Baby from the rest of the herd turned out to be much harder than it should have been as a vital post gave way under the muddy ground. Finally we edged them into a little field of their own with field shelter that would hopefully keep them dry and safe from foxes and badgers. It was Farmer Nick’s newly build shed we really wanted to use but this was just too far from where they were and the ground too soft to take the stock trailer across the meadows to move them.

I was back and forth all day checking up on them, moving the little baby lamb inside out of the rain; they seem to have precious little common sense! Finally I caught them through the shelter slats enjoying the hay and looking very united. In case you are wondering about the orange stripes, this signifies the 1st lamb to the 1st Mum. A twin would have had 12 sprayed on and Mum has a single line for first mother.

We should be lambing from now until mid May. It really is an exciting time to visit the farm and hopefully with a little sunshine the fields will be less muddy!

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Coombe Mill

“Tales from the farmers wife” shares life on our lovely holiday farm with Farmer Nick and our 6 children. Step into our beautiful 30 acres and experience nature close up with farming and educational crafts in stunning North Cornwall. Family, fun and adventure start here.

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